General Background

The State Partnership Program (SPP) links U.S. states and partner nations in support of mutual interests. The goal of the program is to establish broad reaching, friendly ties between partner states and partner countries at all levels of society utilizing the National Guard as the catalyzing force and means of support.

Virginia -Tajikistan Partnership

The partnership between Virginia and the Republic of Tajikistan was formally established in June 2003.

Purpose:  The Virginia National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP) supports the U.S. Central Command Commander’s Security Cooperation Plan developed within the framework of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Seecurity Cooperation Guidance.

Mission:  The Virginia National Guard fosters mutual interests to establish a long-term relationship that will link the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Republic of Tajikistan across all levels of society in order to support and assist with implementation of CENTCOM’s Theater Security Cooperation plan.

Focus Area for Virginia-Tajikistan Security Cooperation:

• Medical exchanges
• Operation ‘Provide Hope’
• Combat Life Saver Seminar
• NCO development / education
• Civil Support Team (WMD) development
• Staff development
• Border security
• Peacekeeping Operations development
• Senior Leader Visits
• Emergency preparedness and disaster response

State Partnership Program News:

Tajik Ministry of Defense, Virginia Guard look toward future

SANDSTON, Va. — A small group of Soldiers and Airmen from the Virginia National Guard met with leaders of the Tajikistan Ministry of Defense and Committee for Emergency Situations in Dushanbe to discuss disaster preparedness and military response to a domestic natural disaster June 13 to 19. The six Guardsmen were in the capital city visiting training facilities and examining terrain conditions around the city as part of the commonwealth’s State Partnership Program with the Central Asian country.

“The intent of the SPP is to build capabilities in partner nations, as well as develop long-term relationships to foster stability and military professionalism,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Ritchie, director of the Virginia SPP. “We determined that the Tajik government has a higher level of readiness for disaster preparedness than we had expected.”

During their stay, the Virginians also met with the Peacekeeping Operations, or PKO Battalion, one of the top units in the Tajik Army.

Click HERE to read the entire story.

Tajik officers join leaders from 183rd RTI, Virginia OCS for training seminar     

FORT PICKETT, Va. — The 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute and the Virginia Officer Candidate School hosted a delegation of three Tajik field grade officers from the Tajikistan Military Institute, as well as Maj. Joe Gross, a U.S. Embassy liaison in Tajikistan, Sept. 20-24 as part of the State Partnership Program. The Tajiks participated in a workshop with OCS staff as they analyzed the current OCS Program of Instruction and tried to assimilate applicable areas into creating a 20-day program for their Institute graduates as they prepare to stand up a peacekeeping battalion.

“Throughout the workshop the Tajiks were very open-minded and willing to hear and discuss ideas on how to improve their training methodology,” said 1st Lt. Carlos Maldonado, OCS training officer.

Col. Marie Mahoney, commander of the 183rd RTI, kicked off the week with a briefing on the training capabilities of the RTI and outlined the training curriculum and phases of the Virginia OCS, as well as setting expectations and guidelines for the workshop.  In the afternoon, Command Sgt. Maj. Skip Halfacre, the 183rd RTI command sergeant major, gave the Tajik officers a tour of the new RTI facility. He explained the training advantages that the new facility would provide as well the increased throughput the schoolhouse would experience due to these upgrades.

Click HERE to read the entire story.

Medical personnel from the Virginia Guard and Defense Force host Tajikistan counterparts

RICHMOND, Va. – Members of the Virginia Defense Force and the Virginia Army and Air National Guard hosted medical officers from Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defense May 17-21 to discuss emergency medical response operations.

As part of the visit, medical personnel from each organization provided lectures on emergency response operations. This is the first time the VDF played a role in helping to host the Tajiks, and VDF members arranged conference rooms and tours at the Saint Francis Medical Center, Bon Secours Virginia and the Sheltering Arms Hospital South. The Saint Francis Medical Center even hosted a luncheon for the guests with a menu picked especially for the cultural exchange. 

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Virginia reinforces partnership with Tajikistan

FORT PICKETT, Va. — Virginia National Guard Soldiers completed a three-week visit to Tajikistan March 12 where they took part in high level discussions about the country’s security and military objectives as well as trained and mentored junior leaders in the Tajik military. The trip was the latest in a series of activities designed to strengthen the state partnership program between the Virginia Guard and Tajikistan.

Tajikistan, once part of the Soviet Union, is located in Central Asia, directly north of Afghanistan, and has a land mass slightly smaller than Wisconsin. The Virginia Guard has become a trusted mentor and partner for Tajikistan’s military since they became partners in 2004.

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34th CST troops travel to Tajikistan to exchange disaster response information

FORT PICKETT, Va. — Members of the Virginia National Guard’s 34th Civil Support Team traveled to Dushanbe, Tajikistan on June 20 to participate in the Virginia National Guard State Partnership Program military exchange with  Tajikistan. This was the fifth visit since 2004 for members of the 34th CST to exchange information with the Tajik Ministry of Defense emergency response team and the Committee for Emergency Services response team. 

The purpose of the exchange was to share information and knowledge regarding disaster preparedness with the goal of helping the Tajik government prepare to respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive incidents within the country that are military, terrorist or natural-disaster related.

Click HERE to read the entire story.

Virginia Guard hosts Disaster Response Information Exchange

RICHMOND - In an effort to foster mutual interests to establish a long-term relationship that will link the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Republic of Tajikistan across all levels of society, the Virginia National Guard hosted a Disaster Response Information Exchange in Richmond, Va., July 21-25, 2008.

As part of the National Guard State Partnership program, six officers from the Ministry of Defense and Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan traveled to Virginia to observe Civil Support Team exercises.

Click HERE to read the entire story.

Tajik general visits with Virginia troops in Kosovo

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – This is a story of two states. One is a newly-independent country that has a long, proud national history of more than 1,100 years, while the other is a state in a relatively young nation whose history only spans several centuries.

One is a former Soviet Republic in Central Asia, while the other is part of a western superpower. Tajikistan’s population mainly consists of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Russians, while the state of Virginia has an amalgamation of many different cultures and nationalities.

Yet, the militaries of Tajikistan and the state of Virginia have formed a bond of trust and friendship through the State Partnership Program, and Soldiers from both the Tajik and Virginia National Guard organizations have been working to achieve their goals and build a strong alliance in a world where cooperation is critical to fighting the War on Terror and ensuring safety and security in the world.

Click HERE to read the entire story.

Virginia troops show Tajiks why the NCO Corps is known as the backbone of the Army

A group of Virginia National Guard Soldiers traveled to Dushanbe, Tajikistan Jan. 19-31, 2007 to conduct a leadership development course for 30 Tajik Soldiers. It was the third year Virginia troops have participated in the exchange, which focused on leadership skills, ethics, counseling and small unit tactics. It is one of several initiatives conducted under the State Partnership Program relationship between Virginia and Tajikistan.

To view a webcast of the event, click on the link below that is appropriate for your media player and network connection.

Windows Media: Broadband ~ 56K Dial-up

Quicktime: Broadband ~ 56K Dial-Up

Tajik NCOs learn new responsibilities during U.S.-led exchange

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan - The saying “old habits never die” could be a good way to describe the current Tajikistan Soviet-style run military. From its troop-leading procedures to its training methods, it’s a trend they’re slowly continuing to improve on.

As part of that process, 30 Soldiers representing four departments of the Tajikistan National Army gathered here to hone their skills and learn new levels of leadership as part of a Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development information exchange with U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 183rd Regional Training Institute, Virginia National Guard.

The two-week program, which concluded Jan. 30, 2007 with a field training exercise, was facilitated by the Atlanta-based Third Army, U.S. Army Central Civil-Military Affairs section. Third Army works with nations from the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia to organize military training exchanges through its Theater Security Cooperation program.

Click HERE to read the entire story.

State Partnership Program brings together Virginia National Guard and Republic of Tajikistan

Under the State Partnership Program, the Virginia National Guard and the Republic of Tajikistan have formed a close relationship. In September, Maj. Gen. Robert B. Newman traveled to Tajikistan to meet with government officials there and share in Tajikistan's 15th independence day celebration.

To view a webcast of the event, click on the link below that is appropriate for your media player and network connection.

Windows Media: Broadband ~ 56K Dial-up

Quicktime: Broadband ~ 56K Dial-Up

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Virginia-Tajikistan State Partnership reaches out to children

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